Jar-cap renewer.



G. LEE.

m. CAP mzuswan'. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 14. 1918.

1,284,375. Pa te nted Nov 12, 1918.

amen to: 7 a 0 e Ze/e/ Q vi MV/JQQQ rrn GRACE LEE, 0F cnAnnLEnvILLE, ILLINOIS.

J AIR-CAP RENEWER.

Specification 01 Letters Patent.

Patented Nov. 12, 1918.

Application filed June 14, 1918. Serial No. 240,032.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GnAoE LEE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chandlerville, in the county of Cass and State of Illinois, have invented new and useful Improvements in Jar-Cap Renewers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to tools, and has for its object the provision of a tool whereby the gasket engaging flange or rim of a preserving jar closure cap may be trued, that is, whereby dents and bends caused by previous use of the cap may be removed and the flange placed in proper shape for further use.

It is well-known in the use of preserving jars of the type provided with screw-threaded caps engaging rubber gaskets that it is frequently necessary to insert the point of a knife or other sharp implement between the flange and the gasket to permit the entrance of air into the can or ar prior to the unscrewing of the cap. It is also well-known that such action results in damaging the flange of the cap to such an extent that when used again the flange will not properly seat upon the gasket and the jar will consequently not be air tight. It is with these facts in mind that the present invention has been designed which contemplates the provision of a tool adapted to be engaged with the flange or rim of a jar cap whereby the flange may be turned or straightened prior to subsequent use upon a can, the tool being further provided with means whereby a defective portion of the flangeor rim may be bent downwardly after it is placed upon a can so that the rim will properly engage the gasket for forming an air-tight joint.

A further object is the provision of a tool of this character Which will be extremely simple and eflicient in operation, inexpensive to manufacture, durable in use and a general improvement of the art.

With the above and other objects and advantages in view, the invention consists in the details of construction to be hereinafter more fully described and claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawing, in which Figure 1 is a plan view of the tool applied to a jar cap.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation thereof and Fig. 3 is a perspective viewshowing the initial straightening tool applied to the flange of a cap.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numeral 5 designates the handle of the tool which may be formed of wood or metal. Disposed at one end of the handle 5 is a jaw 6 formed as a flat plate and having an arcuate outer face 7 of the samecurvature as the flange of a standard jar cap. The jaw member 6 is further provided with an edge 8 disposed at an angle to the arcuate edge. The jaw member 6 is slotted inwardly from its outer edges 7 and 8 as'shown at 9 whereby it may be engaged upon the flange or rim of a jar cap as shown in Fig. 3.

Disposed at the other end of the handle 5 isa' shank 10 upon which is formed a plate 11 which has its forward edge inclined as shown at 12 and curved as shown at 13, the curvature being the same as the curvature of the flange of a standard jar cap. The in clined portion 12 of the plate is wedgeshaped in cross section as shown and terminates in a relatively narrow edge 14 engageable upon the flange of a jar cap. Formed upon one face of the plate 11 is an upstand ing lug 15 provided with a transverse hole 16 whereby a flexible loop 17 may be connected with the lug 15. This loop 17 may be of any desired material although it is shown as being formed of strands of wire twisted together.

The use of the device is as follows When it is desired to true up or straighten the bent or dented edge of a jar cap flange, the operator grasps the handle 5 and engages the jaw member 6 upon the jar cap with the flange thereof disposed with the slot 9. It is understood of course that the jaw member 6 should be so positioned with respect to the cap that its curved edge 7 will engage against the periphery of the cap adjacent the flange thereon. The operator then moves the handle 5 downwardly whereupon the jaw member 6 will bend the flange of the cap downwardly so that its outer edge will be the lowermost edge. This operation is continued entirely around the cap until the various dents and bends have been removed therefrom. In the event that the flange has any abrupt kinks therein the edge 8 of the jaw 6 is engaged upon the kinked portion of the flange and the handle moved downwardly as before, whereupon the kinks may be readily straightened out. The above operation is of course carried out prior to placing the cap upon a jar.

In case the cap is in position upon a jar and is found to be leaking, the device is used as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. In such an event, the loop 17 is disposed over the cap and the curved lower edge 1a of the plate 11 engaged upon the flange of the cap at the point where leakage occurs. The operator then grasps the handle 5 and presses down firmly whereupon the edge 1% of the plate will bend the cap flange downwardly into close engagement With the gasket disposed therebeneath. Such bending of the flange into close engagement with the gasket will naturally result in stopping the leak. It will be noted that the size of the loop 17 may be varied merely by twisting the handle in respect to the loop.

From the foregoing description and a study of the drawing it Will be apparent that I have thus provided a tool whereby jar caps when damaged from use may have their gasket engaging flanges straightened out or trued so that the cap may be used again. It will also be noted that the tool provides'for the stopping of leaks between ca ps, flanges and the gaskets engaged thereby. It will be observed that the device is extremely simple and readily operated to perform the functions for which it is intended and that it may be manufactured at slight cost.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is A device of the character described comprising a handle, a plate extending from one end of said handle an angularly inclined portion on said plate. said inclined portion being transversely curved and being wedge shaped in cross section, an upwardly extending lug formed on said plate and provided with an aperture, and a flexible loop member extending through said aperture and en gageable over a jar top the diameter of said loop being variable by twisting said handle in respect to the loop.

In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

GRACE LEE.

Copies 0! this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. G. 

